


Surely There's a Way

by Dust_of_hope_cheesy_username



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Angst, F/F, Family Fluff, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Homelessness, LGBTQ Themes, Lesbian Character, London, Love, Other, Servants, Trapped
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-19 19:15:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13130262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dust_of_hope_cheesy_username/pseuds/Dust_of_hope_cheesy_username
Summary: Set in Victorian London. 1842 Regina Mills finds a homeless woman and her sick son on the streets. She tells them they can come home with her, just until her kid is better. The woman's name is Emma. Eventual swanqueen Please check it out;)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, thank you so much for clicking on my story! I have posted on ff.net- I have 22 chapters up there, but if you prefer reading on AO3 then here you go! I will try post on here everyday, and when a new chapter goes up on ff.net, it will go up here as well...  
> I hope you enjoy this, please comment.  
> thanks!

She wiped her sweaty palms on her dress, kept her head down and carried on moving. Dusk was no time for a young woman of wealthy class to be roaming about alone...To be fair it wasn't her fault.

_"Katherine please hurry up! The show is over now. Over."_

_"Oh Regina, can't you leave without me?" She giggled. Quite unlike herself._

_"What?" She was confused, and a little upset, that katherine, her dearest friend of twenty years would abandon her to speak to an unknown gentleman._

_"Katherine. You can't do that! Where's your chaperone?"_

_"I don't have one." She said shrugging her shoulders._

_Regina frowned. This was wrong. How could she leave the woman there to do goodness knows what with a man they had just met._

_"Katherine... what would your father say? This isn't how a young lady should behave!"_

_"Regina listen." She placed her hands on the uptight womans shoulders. "I have met this man before. I will be fine! I'm just going to sit with him in the Regal Believer, which is only down the road from here."_

_"The Regal Beliver?" She was shocked. "That's a pub!"_

_"Yes it is."_

_"Katherine!" She shook her head in disbelief. You can't go to a pub!"_

_"I can. And I will." She winked and hugged her friend. "Thank you for coming to the theatre with me. Take this shilling. It should be enough for a cab home." And she walked off leaving Regina staring after her in disbelief._

So that was how Regina Cora Mills, innocent lady of class found herself navigating the filthy streets of London, trying to find an honest cab driver to take her home. So focused she was on her mission, she didn't notice all the beggars that were lying on the side of the cobbled, winding streets. Until she tripped over one.

"Shite lady watch where you're going!"

It was a rough, scratchy, female voice that had spoken. The speaker clearly hadn't drank anything for a while. Regina straightened up slowly and looked to see who she'd tripped over.

"I beg your pardon, I did not see you."

"Yeah well." She muttered. "Nobody does."

The woman seemed to be in her thirties. She had scraggly long blonde hair, and she was as thin as a rake. The most noticeable thing about her though, were her eyes. They were a clear emerald green, they seemed to shine right into her soul.

"What's your name?" Regina asked.

"Emma. And this is my son Henry." She gestured to a small shuddering figure curled up next to her.

"Henry." Regina breathed. "That's my fathers name."

Emma stayed silent.

It was then Regina noticed the boy was rather pale, very scrawny and extremely unhappy.

She crouched down as best she could in her full, hooped skirt and corset, mindful of the puddles of -rainwater? Sewage?- And asked if he was alright.

"No." Emma replied quietly.

"What's wrong?"

"He's... really sick." Tears filled her bright eyes. "And not only is he sick, he's lying on the cold street, without having had any food in the past two days."

"You haven't eaten in two days?" She frowned

"He hasn't eaten in two days." She shrugged. "I haven't eaten in three."

"Emma... if you don't eat... you're going to starve."

"I know. But I have no food. And no way of getting any."

"Noone has helped you?"

The woman chuckled wrily. "Noone cares enough to help."

Regina stared down at the ground.

"It doesn't matter miss..."

"Mills. Regina Mills. And what do you mean it doesn't matter?! Of course it matters."

"I'm going to die eventually anyway. I just... don't care if its sooner or later."

"You... you want to die?"

Emma gazed up at the woman. "I didn't say that. I said I don't mind when it happens. And why should I? What have I got going for me?"

"Henry! You can't leave your son! He won't survive by himself!"

"He's not going to survive anyway. Just look at him." Emma choked out. "I'm such a shit mother, I can't even care for my child."

"That's not true. You're NOT a bad mother!"

"He's dying!" She raised her voice. "How have I looked after him, helped him in anyway?!" She started to cry. "You don't know me, you don't know anything about me, yet you're saying I'm a good mother?! Tell me how I am good mother?!"

Regina felt tears pricking her own eyes.

"You love him."

"That doesn't make me a good mother." Emma whispered.

Regina sighed and tried to change the topic.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?"

"How the bloody hell would I know what's wrong with him!? Does it look like I can afford a doctor to look at him?!"

"I'm sorry." Regina soothed.

At that moment the child let out a hacking cough.

And then it started to rain.

"Oh fuuuuckkkking hell." Emma groaned.

Regina tried not to gape at the womans language. She had never heard someone speak so fouly.

She was brought out from her thoughts by the boy letting out another series of coughs.

"Listen. Emma. You need to find somewhere to go. You and your son can't stay out here."

"Where am I meant to go?!" She gestured to all the other homeless people sitting on the road. "If there was shelter, do you think there'd be this many damn beggars out here?!"

Suddenly Regina surprised herself. "Come home with me."

Emma shot her head up.

"What?!"

Regina gulped, but nevertheless carried on speaking- for better or for worse.

"I said come home with me."

"I heard you... but... what?"

"You can come stay at my house."

"Why would you let a stranger into your house, into your perfect life?"

"Trust me it's far from perfect..."

Emma looked at her quizzically.

"Don't worry about it. And anyway. I can't just leave you out here."

"Are... you sure?"

"Yes. But. Only on one condition."

"Miss mills..."

"You have to stay in the cellar."

"What?"

"I live with my parents. And my mother would be far from pleased to know I let a..."

"Beggar." Emma put in helpfully.

"Yes. In her house."

"Well... of course. Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Its okay. Now come on."

"Wait!" Emma put her hand out. "Only if Henry comes!"

"Well of course? What did you think? I was going to leave him alone without his mother? What kind of person do you take me for?"  
"I'm sorry... its just..."

Regina shook her head.

"There's no need to explain yourself to me. Are you coming or not?" She scooped the boy into her arms easily- he was as light as a feather- and helped Emma up.

"Let's find a cab. And you two can get clean. And have food. Then tomorow I'll see if I can find out what's wrong with Henry."

"Thank you. Thank you so much Miss."

"Please Emma. Call me Regina."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we meet some very important people in Regina's life!

As the cab driver approached Regina's living place, Emma sat up straight and gawked.

Regina could see why.

It was huge, three stories big. It was red brick. With so many tall, Paned windows.

Leading up to it there was a massive, foreboding gate, and a huge garden and pathway. Regina had lived there her whole life, so took it for granted. She had never seen someone react to it as Emma had.

"Emma when we go inside we have to be extremely quiet." She warned

"Mm."

"Emma."

"Hm?"

"I need you to take this seriously." She pleaded.

"Okay. Okay. I am. What should I do when we get inside?"

Regina let out an anxious breath. "My mother and father will be home. They can not know you're here. However when I arrive home they will expect me to go and converse with them immeadiately."

"So... where should me and Henry go?"

"You two will wait in the hall. I will go and tell my parents before I converse with them I need to go to the lavatory. They will tell me off for being... inappropriate ..."

"How is that inappropriate?!"

"Don't ask. Anyhow. I'll sneak you down to the cellar, as well as talking to Granny."

"Granny?"

"She's head of the kitchens. She's amazing. She'll look after you two, hide you no questions asked."

"Okay."

"Now come on."

They walked slowly up the path, Regina cradling Henry- who was asleep and had been the whole cab journey-crunching on gravel until they reached an ominous looking door. "Okay you two go hide behind that plant for a minute." She instructed as she shoved Henry into his mothers arms. She rang the bell and a man with a tall stance opened.

"Hello David." Regina smiled. "Thank you for opening the door."

"Would you come in maam?"

"Um... yes." Regina thought desperately. "Please go down to the kitchens and get me some water. Right away."

As David walked away, Regina beckoned furiously to Emma and Henry.

"Okay wait here." She whispered.

The inside of the manor was many times more majestic than the outside.

There was a shining white parquet floor, covered in colourful, patterned rugs. The wall favoured a floral print, and there were tapestries and paintings hanging everywhere.

Emma could here loud talking coming from the drawing room, but finally Regina exited, and told Emma to follow her in a hushed voice. They walked down a long corridor . Then Regina pushed open the door to what turned out to be the kitchens. It was empty.

"Where is everyone?" Emma asked curiously

"David is most probably in the hall. My mothers maid, Ruby, is waiting in my mothers rooms. And everyone else is in the servants quarters."

"Christ. You got a big house."

"I do don't I..." Regina said thoughtfully.

At that moment, Henry coughed and woke up.

"Mummy?" He said in a small voice. "Where am I?"

"Shhh baby it's okay." Emma said stroking his hair. "It's okay."

Regina smiled at the boy. "You're gonna be safe here Henry."

She looked up at Emma.

"We need to hurry. Go down into the cellar- it's on the left. I'll get some food for you both, and later when I get the chance, either me or Granny will come back with some things to keep you warm.

Emma complied quickly and quietly, thinking eagerly about food- something she hadn't eaten in three days.

Regina followed with a loaf of bread and a pie.

Then she ran back to the drawing room where her parents sat.

"Regina." Her mother Cora greeted.

Her father Henry smiled at her.

"Now that you're finished..." she curled her lip. "Visiting the bathroom... tell us about your evening."

Regina went to perch on a straight backed chair next to her mother.

"I went to the theatre with katherine."

"Yes. Yes I know that Regina. How was it?"

"Why are you so interested?" Regina asked suspiciously.

"Can't I be interested in my own daughters life?"

"No, not when you've never cared before."

"Regina!"

Regina stood up and walked out, her mother and father staring after her.

She didn't know why she'd gotten so short tempered. She never argued with her mother. Perhaps it was seeing the other side.

Realising properly how badly some people lived.

Perhaps it was fear. Fear for Katherine. Why would she just run of like that?

Perhaps worry. About Henry. How Emma would react if he died.

Regina sighed thinking about Emma. She was such a strong, resilient person. She'd never met anyone like her.

She walked up two flights of narrow wooden stairs which led to the servants quarters and knocked quietly on Grannys door.

The woman opened it, and her mouth fell into a wide smile as she saw Regina.

"Regina child! What can I do for you!"

"Hi Granny... um. I need to... talk to you."

"Of course, of course. Why don't you come in."

It always shocked Regina to see how different the servants rooms were to the rest of the beautiful house.

Grannys room had a bare wooden floor, with only a bed and a shelf for her things. There was also a rickety chair in the corner.

"Sit child sit." Granny said bustling around, pulling up the chair for Regina.

"Now tell me what's wrong."

Regina gave a faint smile. Granny always knew how to make her feel better. When she was a child, she'd always gone crying to her when upset rather than her mother. Granny would give her a kiss and a hug, and would send secret smiles to her for the rest of the day. So knowing she could trust her, she opened her mouth and told Granny the whole story. After she had finished, the older woman just stayed silent, gaping at Regina.

"So. To be clear child. You brought a strange woman and her sick child into this house."

Regina gulped.

"I'm so proud of you." She whispered, enveloping her into a big hug.

"You saved two innocent people. I'm... more impressed than I could say."

"You raised me well." Regina smiled.

Granny looked shocked. "Me? I'm just the cook... I... didn't raise you."

Regina scoffed.

"Please. If you didn't who did? My mother? The woman who told me off for being weak whenever I cried because I scraped my knee? The woman who told me I'd never be enough? My father? No. He's... too... meek. Granny I've never told you this... but you are my everything. You gave me a childhood."

Granny stood there crying.

"I love you child."

"I love you too granny."

They hugged again, then granny pulled away. She gave a watery smile and became her usual efficient self. "Now obviously the rest of the servants can't know about Emma and Henry... so I will feed them and keep them warm.

"Wait no Granny! I'll do that! You have so much work already. I only told you because you go down into the cellar quite regularly... and I didn't want you to call the police on them."

Regina stayed talking with Granny for the better part of an hour, until she remembered Emma and her son hiding in the cellar. She went to collect some blankets for them and then went to talk to them.

They were huddled in a corner, trying to warm up a bit. It was warmer than outside, but it was still chilly. Emma nearly cried with happiness seeing the blankets. When Regina handed over the blankets, Emma actually stood up and hugged Regina tight. "Thank you so much for this Regina. Thank you." She said tearfully. Then she turned to her son, who was already looking a bit more happy now that he was warm. "Say thank you to Regina, Henry."

He beamed up at the older

woman. "Thank you for saving my life wegina."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, thank you for reading!


End file.
